Weather patterns have been difficult to nail down with any degree of accuracy this year. In Saskatchewan, late snowfall has delayed thawing and therefore grass growth and typical seeding plans.

Your legacy won’t be determined by your ability to keep your multigenerational dairy or pass a profitable operation to the next generation – but by the lives you touch. These are essential things to remember as we face an especially demanding season.

Farm stress: You can’t weigh it, you can’t test it, and you certainly can’t fix it with a wrench or baling twine. Yet, research continues to show that it directly impacts how farms function.

As environmental pressures and market dynamics shift, producers are taking a closer look at how early weaning, paired with precise nutrition and management practices, can unlock both short-term flexibility and long-term gains.

The modern dairy cow is a metabolic athlete. On a per-kilogram bodyweight basis, her daily energy turnover rivals that of a National Hockey League (NHL) athlete on game day. The difference is that she does this day-in, day-out, without recovery until dry-off.

Have you come to the end of a long day and still felt guilty about not working harder and longer? Have you felt guilty about not spending more time with your family and friends but kept working? Have you worked long hours but wondered whether you were making any progress?

Our local farmers are under financial pressure, face unpredictable weather and market swings, and are under an overwhelming cultural expectation to “rub some dirt on it” or “cowboy up” and get through it regardless of how they feel. All of these things just compound the strain and lead to silence and, in some cases, tragedy.

Ultimately, eating isn’t about hitting an ideal – it’s about giving your brain and body what they need to handle life’s demands. Learn how to create a balanced diet to help optimize energy and health.